ai4bharat/Pralekha huggingface dataset:
Ministry of Food Processing Industries
MoS for M/o Food Processing Industries, Shri Prahlad Singh Patel inaugurates the National Conference on Millets on the theme ‘The Future Super Food for India'
Production of coarse cereals in the country has increased
Coarse grain also considered a storehouse in times of famine: Shri Prahlad Singh Patel
Need to mainstream millets to improve India’s nutrition outcomes: MoS, Ministry of FPI
Millets the superfood of India among the oldest eatables in the country: Shri Prahlad Singh Patel
Union Minister of State for M/o Food Processing Industries, Shri Prahlad Singh Patel today inaugurated the National Conference on Millets on the theme ‘The Future Super Food for India' in New Delhi, organised by industry body ASSOCHAM with the support of M/o Food Processing Industries. The conference has been organised to discuss opportunities and challenges in ensuring food and nutritional security.
In his inaugural address, the Union Minister said that the production of coarse cereals in the country has increased to 17.96 million tonnes in 2020-21 from 14.52 million tonnes in 2015-16 and the production of bajra  has also increased to 10.86 million tonnes in the same period.
Shri Prahlad Singh Patel said that due to its ability to be easily preserved for a long time even under ordinary conditions, coarse grain is also considered a storehouse in times of famine.
Talking about advantages of Millets at the National Conference on Millets, the Minister of State for M/o FPI said that Millets have been among the oldest eatables in the country. It is a crop grown from small seeds which can be grown well in dry areas or even on lands with deficient and low fertility thus is known as the superfood of India.
The Minister shared that due to their short growing season, millets can develop from seeds to ready-to-harvest crops in just about 65 days and this characteristic of the millets is of vital importance in thickly populated regions of the world. If stored properly, millets can keep well for two years or beyond. He stated that there is a need to mainstream millets to improve India’s nutrition outcomes.
Shri Prahlad Singh Patel noted that the Government of India has already revised the guidelines to facilitate the movement of the surplus production of millets to other states. The provision of inter-state transportation of surplus millets through the Food Corporation of India  is incorporated to cater for advance demands placed by consuming states before the start of procurement.
The major millets producing states in India include Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Telangana.
Shri Minhaj Alam, Joint Secretary, M/o Food Processing Industries talked about spreading awareness of millets all around the globe as India is now the 5th largest exporter of millets globally. He informed that year 2023 will be the international year of millets that will create value generation and promotion of sustainable products in food choices. He added that more investments are required in production and processing of millets.
Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment
We are working to build an accessible India for Divyangjan: PM Narendra Modi
We are making our Divyangjans capable to hoist the tricolour of India in Paralympics also, for which special training is being given to the players: PM Narendra Modi
On the occasion of 77th Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address from the ramparts of Red Fort said that Vishwakarma Yojana will be launched on Vishwakarma Jayanti in the coming month. He said that this scheme is for the people with traditional skills i.e. those people who work with tools and their hands i.e. mostly from the OBC community, such as carpenters, goldsmiths, stone masons, people who do laundry, brothers and sisters who cut hair, the family will work to give new strength to such people. This scheme will be started with a budget of about 13-15 thousand crore rupees.
In his speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi said that we are working to build an accessible India for Divyangjan. He said that we are making Divyangjan capable of hoisting the tricolor flag of India in the Paralympics as well. For which special training is being given to the players.
In his speech, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi said that today India has demography, democracy and diversity. He said that this trinity of demography, democracy and diversity has the potential to make every dream of India come true.
Ministry of Finance
Auction for Sale  of ‘4.26% GS 2023’, and ‘5.85% GS 2030’ and ‘6.76% GS 2061’
The Government of India  has announced the Sale  of
 ‘4.26% Government Security, 2023’ for a notified amount of Rs 3,000 crore  through price based auction,  ‘5.85% Government Security, 2030’ for a notified amount of Rs 14,000 crore  through price based auction, and  ‘6.76% GS 2061’ for a notified amount of Rs 9,000 crore  through price based auction. GoI will have the option to retain additional subscription up to Rs 6,000 crore against above security/securities. The auctions will be conducted by the Reserve Bank of India, Mumbai Office, Fort, Mumbai on June 11, 2021  using multiple price method.
Up to 5% of the notified amount of the sale of the Securities will be allotted to eligible individuals and Institutions as per the Scheme for Non-Competitive Bidding Facility in the Auction of Government Securities.
Both competitive and non-competitive bids for the auction should be submitted in electronic format on the Reserve Bank of India Core Banking Solution  system on June 11, 2021. The non-competitive bids should be submitted between 10.30 a.m. and 11.00 a.m. and the competitive bids should be submitted between 10.30 a.m. and 11.30 a.m.
The result of the auctions will be announced on June 11, 2021  and payment by successful bidders will be on June 14, 2021 .
The Securities will be eligible for “When Issued” trading in accordance with the guidelines on ‘When Issued transactions in Central Government Securities’ issued by the Reserve Bank of India vide circular No. RBI/2018-19/25 dated July 24, 2018 as amended from time to time.
Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways
Longest river cruise Ganga Vilas to reach Assam tomorrow
The world’s longest river cruise MV Ganga Vilas is scheduled to reach Dhubri, Assam tomorrow and the vessel will continue its onward journey as per schedule. The Prime Minister had virtually flagged off the cruise on 13th January 2023 from Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh which is scheduled to reach Dibrugarh on 1st March 2023 covering a distance of about 3200 km between NW-1 & 2 via Indo-Bangladesh Protocol route.
MV Ganga Vilas is scheduled to travel 13 days in Assam before reaching Dibrugarh on 1st March 2023. It will reach Dhubri after covering Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Kolkata, Bangladesh.
MV Ganga Vilas has three decks, 18 suites on board with a capacity of 36 tourists, with all the luxury amenities. The maiden voyage has 32 tourists from Switzerland signing up for the entire length of the journey.
Ministry of Agriculture &
Farmers Welfare
Decline in Agriculture Cost
Soil Health Card Scheme plays a vital role in enhancing agricultural production in a sustainable manner. The Government has introduced Soil Health Card  Scheme to assist State Governments to provide Soil Health Cards to all farmers across the country once in a cycle of 2 years. Soil Health Cards provides information to farmers on nutrient status of their soil along with recommendations on appropriate dosage of nutrients to be applied for improving soil health and its fertility, which results in enhanced agricultural productivity.
National Productivity Council  in their study, has reported savings of 8-10% of fertilizers and 5-6% increase in crop yield, as a result of fertilizer application as per the recommendations of Soil Health Cards.
This Information was given by the Minister of State for Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Shri Parshottam Rupala
Ministry of Science & Technology
New theoretical explanation for a unique reversing motion of bacteria can help building more efficient artificial micro and nano-motors
In a recent study, Indian Scientists have found a theoretical model explaining a unique kind of motion called direction reversing active motion exhibited by some bacteria that feed on other microorganisms. This analysis can help in building more efficient artificial micro and nano-motors used in drug delivery and bio-imaging using the concept to incorporate a reverse gear.
Bacteria move by propelling themselves with a velocity that changes direction randomly, which is called active motion. Besides bacterial motion, this kind of motion is found in living systems ranging from cell motility at the microscopic scale to the flocking of birds and fish schools at the macroscopic scale as well as in artificial systems including granular matter self-catalytic swimmers, and nano-motors. It forms an important sub-set of the ubiquitous nonequilibrium systems, for which no general theoretical framework exists. Some microorganisms, such as predator bacteria Myxococcus Xanthus and saprotrophic bacteria Pseudomonas putida, exhibit a unique kind of reversing active motion, whereby, in addition to a diffusive change of direction, the motion also completely reverses its direction intermittently. However, very little has been understood theoretically about the statistical properties of such motion.
In a recent study published as a Letter in the Physical Review E, a team of Scientists from Raman Research Institute and S.N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, autonomous institutes under the Department of Science & Technology , GoI has uncovered novel dynamical phases arising from the interplay of diffusion and velocity reversal in the direction reversing active motion exhibited by such bacteria.
The study provided a theoretical understanding of such motion through exact analytical results for the position distribution and target search-time distribution by using a model. “This model explains the advantage of directional reversals, namely, faster spread leading to faster searches,” the authors pointed out. They explained how their research found that M. Xanthus relies on the directional reversal to increase its spread, thus making search for a target efficient, inspite of a much slower speed  compared to faster bacteria like E. coli . Further, the most important finding of this work is the prediction of a novel phase where the dynamical laws governing the dispersion along two orthogonal directions are fundamentally different.
The theoretical analysis of the direction reversing active motion, starting from the microscopic dynamics partially funded by the Science and Engineering Research Board , India, under Ramanujan Fellowship, will serve as a building block for biologists and experimental physicists studying other complex phenomena shown by direction reversing bacteria.
Publication link:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.104.L012601
Ministry of Defence
Electronic Pension Payment Order gets integrated with Digi Locker
Key Highlights:
- Over 23 lakhs defence pensioners will get benefited
- To enhance the ease of living of the defence pensioners
- Pensioners can obtain Pension Payment Order instantly
Department of Ex-servicemen welfare, Ministry of Defence has integrated the Electronic Pension Payment Order  generated by Principal Controller of Defence Accounts  Pension, Allahabad with Digi Locker, in order to enhance ‘Ease of Living’ of Defence Pensioners. This will enable all Defence Pensioners to obtain instantly a copy of the latest copy of the PPO from Digi Locker. This initiative will create a permanent record of PPO in Digi Locker and at the same time eliminate delays in reaching the PPO to new pensioners as well as the necessity of handing over a physical copy.
Accordingly, the PCDA, Allahabad has been registered as a Service Provider for providing EPPOs of over 23 lakhs Defence Pensioners through Digi Locker platform, enabling the Defence Pensioners to access their EPPO from anywhere in the world.
Ministry of Defence
8th EDITION OF INDIA – SRI LANKA JOINT “EXERCISE MITRA SHAKTI COMMENCES AT AMPARA SRI LANKA
The 8th edition of India-Sri Lanka bilateral joint exercise Mitra Shakti commenced today at the Combat Training School, Ampara in Sri Lanka. The two week long exercise is being conducted from 04 to 15 October 2021.
The Indian Army contingent comprising of 120 personnel of Infantry Battalion Group and a similar strength from a Battalion of the Sri Lankan Army are participating in the bilateral exercise. Over the next few days, troops will train, share and rehearse tactical drills to undertake joint counter-terrorism operations in a semi urban/rural environment under United Nations mandate.
Senior military observers and dignitaries of the Indian and the Sri Lankan Armies will be witnessing the validation phase of the exercise. The exercise provides an ideal platform for both contingents to share their operational experience and expertise while also being instrumental in broadening the inter-operability and cooperation between the Armies of India and Sri Lanka.
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Ministry of Rural Development
Development of Rural Roads
Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna  was launched in the year 2000 as a one-time special intervention to provide rural connectivity, by way of a single all-weather road, to the eligible unconnected habitations of designated population as per Census 2001.
In the year 2013, PMGSY-II was launched for upgradation of selected Through Routes and Major Rural Links  with a target to upgrade 50,000 Km in various States and Union Territories.
Subsequently, in 2016, Road Connectivity Project for Left Wing Extremism Affected Areas  was launched for construction/upgradation of strategically important roads, as a separate vertical under PMGSY to improve the road connectivity in 44 worst affected LWE districts and some adjoining districts in 9 States.
In the year 2019, Government launched PMGSY-III for consolidation of 1,25,000 Km Through Routes and Major Rural Links connecting habitations, inter-alia, to Gramin Agricultural Markets , Higher Secondary Schools and Hospitals.
Since inception till 21.07.2022, a total of 1,84,056 roads of 7,93,568 km and 10,082 bridges have been sanctioned under various interventions/ verticals of PMGSY, out of which, 1,70,857 roads of 7,12,638 km and 7,264 bridges have been completed.
Currently, the fund sharing pattern of PMGSY is 60:40 between the Centre and States for all states except for 8 North Eastern States and for 2 Himalayan States . For these states and UT of J&K, the fund sharing pattern is 90:10. The funds for other Union Territories, implementing PMGSY, are being fully provided by the Central Government.
This information was given by the Union Minister of State for Rural Development, Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.
PIB Headquarters
Regional Dak Adalat
A Regional Dak Adalat of Central Postal Region of Kerala Circle will be held at the Office of the Post Master General, Central Region, Gandhi Nagar , Kochi on 25th March, 2020 at 11.00 am. Complaints pertaining to the post offices under Central region  relating to counter services, savings bank, money orders etc. will be taken up in the adalat.
Cases taken up in the previous adalats will not be entertained. Complaints can be sent in envelopes super scribed “Regional Dak Adalat: March 2020” and addressed to “ Smt. K. Kalaivani, Assistant Director, Office of the Postmaster General, Central Region, Kochi-682020,” so as to reach there on or before 20th March, 2020.
RRTN/IE/BSN 
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Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
COVID-19 UPDATE
More than 3 crore total recoveries across the country so far
Recovery Rate increases to 97.22%
39,649 patients recovered during last 24 hours
37.73 Cr. Vaccine Doses administered so far under Nationwide Vaccination Drive
India reports 37,154 new cases in last 24 hours
India's Active Caseload currently at 4,50,899
Active cases constitute 1.46% of total cases
Weekly Positivity Rate remains below 5%, currently at 2.32%
Daily positivity rate at 2.59%, less than 3% for 21 consecutive days
Testing capacity substantially ramped up – 43.23 cr tests total conducted
Ministry of Science & Technology
Indian Immunologicals Limited to start production of drug substance for Covaxin under Mission COVID Suraksha
In a bid to augment the vaccine production, the Government has decided to support some public sector companies with grants under the Mission COVID Suraksha. One such company is the Hyderabad based Indian Immunological limited , which a facility under the PSU, National Dairy Development Board.
A technical collaboration agreement has been reached between IIL and Bharat Biotech, for IIL to supply of the drug substance required the for manufacturing Covaxin Vaccine to Bharat Biotech. The Managing Director of Indian Immunological Limited, Dr K Anand Kumar said that the IIL is planning to start the production of drug substance for Covaxin from next month, June 15, and send out the first batch to Bharat Biotech limited by July.
Stating that Indian Immunologicals is expected to produce the drug substance for about 10-15 million doses per month, Dr Anand Kumar said it will be initially 2-3 million doses and will be scaled up to 6-7 million per month later in the year.
Dr.Kumar shared that they are converting the Karkapatla manufacturing unit of IIL near Hyderabad into a Bio Safety Level -3  facility for the production of the drug substance and is also taking up construction of another block. The IIL is also working on another COVID -19 vaccine and the animal trials are underway currently and is expected to come out by next year for human vaccination.
Under Atmanirbhar Bharat 3.0 Mission COVID Suraksha was announced by the Government of India, to accelerate the development and production of Indigenous COVID Vaccines. This is being implemented by Department of Biotechnology. The Indian Immunologicals Limited , Hyderabad has been sanctioned grant of Rs. 60 crore towards enhancing production capabilities.
Ministry of Finance
Blockchain Technology  is one of many promising technologies: RBI
The Reserve Bank of India  has informed that Blockchain Technology  is one of many promising technologies and its usefulness will depend on how it is adopted and adapted to a wide array of uses. This was stated by Union Minister of State for Finance Dr Bhagwat Kisanrao Karad in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today.
Further, the Minister stated, RBI has informed that BCT has been listed as one of the innovative technologies, leveraging on which innovators can apply to test their products in RBI’s sandbox environment.
RBI has stated that their Regulatory Sandbox has not identified any specific areas as such for the use of BCT for Indian banks. However, under the Cross Border Payments theme of the Regulatory Sandbox of RBI, participating entities have tested certain blockchain based applications.
Cabinet
Cabinet approves MoU between India and France on Technical Cooperation in Civil Aviation
Cabinet approves MoU between India and France on Technical Cooperation in Civil Aviation
The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its approval to the Memorandum of Understanding  between the Airports Authority of India  and its French counterpart, Civil Aviation Authority , France to implement Technical Cooperation Program in civil aviation sector.
The Technical Cooperation Program will be beneficial for enhancement of skills and expertise of AAI’s officers. This MoU is also beneficial for imparting training of engineers, technicians, managers etc.
Ministry of Women and Child Development
The WCD Ministry has requested Ministry of Finance for amendment to section 64 of the Income Tax Act,1961: WCD Minister
The Ministry of Women and Child Development has also requested Ministry of Finance for amendment to section 64 of the Income Tax Act,1961 for not including income arising from the asset transferred for inadequate consideration by an individual to his wife or son’s wife.
As informed by the Central Board of Direct Tax , Department of Revenue, under the existing provisions of the Income Tax Act,1961, any sum of money received by a person without consideration is liable for taxation if the aggregate value of such sum exceeds Rs.50,000. Similar provisions exist for taxation of receipt of an immovable property or specified property without consideration or inadequate consideration. However, these provisions are not applicable to receipts of any sum/ immovable property/specified property by an individual from following relatives:¾
 spouse of the individual;
 brother or sister of the individual;
 brother or sister of the spouse of the individual;
 brother or sister of either of the parents of the individual;
 any lineal ascendant or descendant of the individual;
 any lineal ascendant or descendant of the spouse of the individual;
 spouse of the person referred to in  to  above.
Therefore, receipt by women of any sum/immovable property/specified property without/inadequate consideration from the relatives under the existing provisions of the Income tax Act, 1961 are not taxable.
The above Information was given by Minister of State for Women and Child Development, Smt. Maneka Sanjay Gandhi in reply to an Starred Question in the Rajya Sabha, today.
Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways
Shri Sarbananda Sonowal interacts with beneficiaries of government welfare schemes at Ziro valley, Arunachal Pradesh, says Government accords highest importance to Northeast to drive Ecologically responsible growth of New India
Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal met and interacted with a number of beneficiaries of Government’s welfare schemes and exchanged views at Hija & Lempia villages in Ziro valley, Arunachal Pradesh today. While interacting with the people, the Union Minister highlighted that the Government led by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi accords highest importance to Northeast to drive an ecologically responsible economic growth of the New India. He said as the world moves ahead cautiously to strike a balance between ecology and economic growth, the key role of Northeast is to drive an ecologically responsible economic growth for the country. The Minister said we must prepare ourselves, equip our skillsets and develop platforms to seize this wonderful opportunity to unlock the immense potential that our beautiful region possesses.
Speaking about the role of Northeast in the New India’s economic progression, Shri Sonowal said Under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi people are finally availing benefits that has helped their ease of living through welfare schemes of the government.
He said Seva Sushashan and Garib Kalyan will continue to drive our vision of developing a strong, prosperous & proud new India.
The Minister interacted with beneficiaries from Prime Minister Ujjwala Yojana  and Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana .
The Minister visited Hija and Lempia village to interact with the local people, organisations as well as beneficiaries of the welfare schemes, and was served sumptuous Abotani lunch at the residence of Taru Tatung in Hija village.
MJPS
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PIB Headquarters
New Principal Chief Commissioner of Income Tax assumed charge
Shri Rajiv Jain, IRS has taken over charge as Principal Chief Commissioner of Income-tax, Tamil Nadu & Puducherry today i.e. 26.07.2019, on promotion, from Shri N. Sankaran, Principal Chief Commissioner of Income-tax, Andhra Pradesh & Telangana. He belongs to the 1984 Batch of Indian Revenue Service Officers. He has worked in various capacities and in various Offices of the Income Tax Department at Delhi, Allahabad, Meerut, Muzaffar Nagar and Lucknow.
This is stated in the press release issued by the Addl. Commissioner of Income-tax  O/o. Pr. Chief Commissioner of Income-tax,
TN & P, Chennai.